UK environmental policy and the small firm: broadening the focus

Abstract The poor environmental performance of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK has been attributed to a wide range of barriers, both internal and external to the firm. However, the debate has seldom considered the interplay of factors beyond ‘the firm’. In order for the debate to progress we emphasize the importance of situating the environmental practices of small firms within a context of national policy arrangements. A lack of institutional enfranchisement for SMEs in the UK is a key factor in understanding why environmental policies have yet to be successful in encouraging more environmentally proactive behaviour within this sector. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment.